Fatherhood
by ArtistsChild93
Summary: This is just basically Luke Skywalker's view on being a father, starting with shortly before his first child, Opie was born.
1. Father to be

I watch you sleep next to me, your head resting against my heart. We always fall asleep like this, no matter what. Tonight I can't. there are too many things on my mind right now, you in particular. To think, a year and a half ago, we were involved in the hardest part of this war. I lost my hand, and a lot of myself, you know. I can't belive that was such a short while ago. Now, I'm married to the most beautiful girl, no woman, in the universe, and we're expecting our first child. She should be arriving any day now.

I know you want a boy, but I honestly feel that it's going to be a girl. I hope it isn't twins. The last thing this universe needs is more Skywalkers in it. Not to say that I wouldn't love any child we have. I'm just not sure I'd be ready for that. I'm not even sure I'm ready to be a father yet. I don't know, maybe all fathers are like that. Han was the same way before Jaina and Jacen where born two months ago.

I was scared, when you first told me. I honestly didn't know what to do, I mean we're still in the middle of a war here. I felt so guilty, like it was my fault that you where pregnant. I know that I hurt you when I got so upset, you thought that I didn't want this, that I was rejecting you. I remember you ran away crying. I still am really sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just so scared. And I'm not excusing my actions, I should have shown more support when you first told me.

Now, I can't wait for the baby to arrive. I know I shouldn't be so impatient, I know, but I know you are too. I'm just so excited that I can't contain it. I cannot wait to hold her for the first time, to meet her. I have a feeling she's going to be just as beautiful as you, and just as strong with the force. She gives me just one more reason to not turn. I have a little girl now, I know it, and it's my job—our job to protect her no matter what. I couldn't bear to think of doing what my father did to me to our little gem. Little gem, that would make a good pet name for her. After all, she's precious, and she will be beautiful, she's our child after all. We're both good looking, I know that.

Now I'm beginning to wonder what she'll look like. I don't know, I couldn't care less what she looks like. I know you're hoping she looks like me, you haven't told me, but I know it's true. Personally, I hope she looks like you, but somehow I'm not sure that's gonna happen. That's the only problem with being Jedi, like we both are, we know things before they happen. You groan in your sleep and snuggle closer. I can feel your warm body against me, and I also feel my little gem kick. I smile and close my eyes. I finally have a family.


	2. No More Missions

"No."

Reekian followed the retreating Jedi, "Commander, the mission will only take a few days!"

"No," he said shaking his head, "The last time you said that a mission would only last a few days, I spent a month in an imperial cell, and a further week laid up with a broken leg and collapsed lung. I won't do it, not when my wife's about to have her baby."

"Is there any way I can convince you, Skywalker?" he asked.

Luke shook his head, "I'm sorry, not now, not when Ivy's about to give birth any day." The com on his belt began to buzz, "May I be excused for a moment, General?"

"Of course, commander," the older man allowed the other to exit the room.

"Hello?" Luke answered.

Leia's voice crackled over the com, "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Ivy's gone into labor," she said, "how soon can you be to the medicenter?"

Skywalker could feel his heart pounding in his ears, "As soon as possible, Leia." He stuck his head around the office door, "Sir, I gotta go, Ivy just went into labor."

"I understand," he said knowingly. There had been a lot of children that had been born recently in the alliance. Leia and Han had two month old twins, Wedge and Kourt had just had a son a week ago, and now Luke Skywalker's wife had just gone into labor. _The next generation of alliance leaders perhaps?_ He mused.

The cries of a new life resounded around a private room in the medicenter. Ivy Starling-Skywalker lay against the pillows, panting with exertion. Luke was a state of complete and utter shock, leaning heavily against a chair.

Two-onebee was holding the squalling infant, "Congradulations, sir."

"Boy or girl?" he panted, face white, making his bright blue eyes stand out even more.

"Girl," the medical droid replied, "You and your wife may hold her in a moment, but first I will check her vital signs."

Luke grinned at his exhausted wife, "Told ya so."

She glared at the handsome Jedi before her, "You realize that this is all your fault, Skywalker."

"Hey, It's not my fault," he whined.

"Oh yeah, I got pregnant all by myself." She retorted, "I hope she inheirited your eyes so you can see what I've suffered through."

Onebee came back with the child, now wrapped in a blanket, and much calmer, "Would you like to hold her, m'am?" he asked Ivy.

"Yes." She whispered. The droid deposited the small bundle into her arms, the child stirred in her arms. "Look! She has your eyes, Luke!"

He bent over and examined the little pink face. It was slightly squashed, "Hello, Little gem."

The baby cooed in her mother's arms, "What are we gonna call her?"

"What about Shmi?" he said, "It was my grandmother's name."

Ivy shook her head, "I like Opal, since you insist on calling her Little Gem. Anyway, it was my grandmother's name."

"Opal Shmi?" he asked, "We could call her Opie for short."

Luke bent over and kissed Ivy fully on the lips, an intense passionate kiss.


	3. Dirty Diapers

"Hey Luke," Ivy said, carrying their new baby in her arms, "Opie's diaper needs changed, it's your turn."

He'd privately have rather faced a whole battalion of tie fighters, "Oh boy."

"You sound thrilled," she said, "Seriously, Luke it's just a dirty diaper, it's not like anyone's gonna shoot you."

He snorted, "How are you so sure?"

"Don't be such a coward," Ivy retorted, "Eleven months ago you were facing the Emperor, and you're scared to change your daughter's dirty diaper."

"No," he sulked, "I'm not afraid."

She held the infant out slightly, "Then change your daughter."

"I didn't say I wasn't," he replied, holding out his arms. She placed the child in his arms gently. The little one opened one eye and let out a little yawn. Ivy thought it was really funny how her husband's tough Jedi exterior melted when he held their child. She smiled softly at the pair; the goofy farm boy turned Jedi knight and the newborn babe in his arms.

Suddenly she remembered why exactly he was holding Opie, "Diaper."

"Oh-oh yeah." He said, "Sorry, got a little lost in thought." He carried the infant over to the changing table and proceeded to undo the dirty diaper, "Yuck!" he said, "Why do I get the one she pooped in?"

"Right Luke, real mature blame the baby." She said.

He glared at her, "I'm not blaming her, I'm blaming you. You set me up."

"I did nothing of the sort."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Now who's childish," he said, throwing the offending object into the trash, "Yuck!"

Ivy snickered at her husband's antics. This was even funnier than Leia said it would be. "It doesn't even smell, Luke!"

"I don't care," he snorted, "It's still something I never wanted to be near."

"Too bad, Lover Boy," she said, "you got me pregnant."

Skywalker rolled his eyes, "So it's my entire fault that I have to change her diapers."

"Partially," she said, pecking him on the lips, "although I will say Luke, you make an excellent father."

"Thanks," he grinned, "I'm glad to hear you think so."

Ivy laughed, "Have you no modesty?"

"Nope!" he said, grinning, "I saved the galaxy twice. What do you expect?"

She punched his shoulder playfully, "I know, I know, I married you."

"Ouch!" he said clutching his heart dramatically, "You wound me."

She shoved him lightly, "You ham!" She gently picked up the baby, who suddenly began to cry. She felt Luke reaching out to their daughter through the force.

"She wants me." He stated, holding out his arms. The moment she gave her to him, she calmed down.

"Well, I feel loved," she grinned, "of course the child I gave birth to is a daddy's girl.


	4. Grandfathers

"You wanted to see me dad?" A young girl was standing nervously next to her father's desk. This could either be good or bad. Opie Skywalker ran through all the things she had done recently that could have gotten her into trouble. Nothing came up.

Her father smiled gently, "You're not in trouble, Little Gem." He said, reading her mind, "I just wanted to talk to you."

The thirteen year old nodded and sat down on the couch opposite of her father, "What is it you wanna talk about, Daddy?"

He held up his mechanical right hand, "Do you remember how I got this?"

"Darth Vader cut it off when you got in a fight with him." She said.

He nodded sadly, "Do you know who he was?"

"I don't exactly know," she said shrugging, "He's somehow connected to Grandfather, that's all I know."

Luke nodded slowly. This was going to be tough, but his daughter would soon be a young woman, sooner than he thought. She was already at the beginning of her teenage years for Force sake! It had to be done, and now, "There are some things your mother and I didn't tell you in that story." He noticed the shocked look on her face, "We didn't lie to you. After what happened to me, I swore I'd never lie to you or your brother."

She reached out to touch her father's hand. They were so alike: Both had unusually long dexterous hands. Opie shared a lot in common with her father now that she was older. Her mother always said she looked like a younger version of her father if he had had freckles and never broken his nose. "What happened?"

Her father swallowed several times, "When I lost my hand, he told me something. Something until recently I felt you weren't old enough to hear yet. Don't get me wrong, Opie you already are beginning to show wisdom beyond your years, but I didn't want to burden you too soon."

"I understand," she said.

"He was my father, Opie, your grandfather."

Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head, "No," She shot forward and grabbed both her father's hands, big blue eyes begging with him to say it was not true, "Daddy please tell me it's not true. It can't be true." Tears where running down her face, refusing to believe it.

He deflated slightly, "I'm sorry, Opie. I don't expect you to forgive him, but no matter what, one day you'll have to accept him for what he was."

"How could your own father have done- done THAT to you?" she hissed, "Daddies aren't supposed to do that."

Luke cupped his daughter's face in his hands, tears running down his own face, "I know," he reassured, "and I promise you I would never do that to you or Ben."

"I know," she said, "I trust you, Daddy, and I love you."

His Little Gem was growing up so fast. Already at thirteen she behaved beyond her age. It was true that she had a hot temper, but if she ever lost it, she was quick to realize her mistake. She was so beautiful; he had seen it the first time he'd held her. And he knew as time passed, she would grow even more beautiful and stronger in herself. He blinked and suddenly he saw her, much older. Her hair was cropped short and blowing in the wind. There was a stern expression on her face, cool and level-headed. Her eyes didn't possess the innocence it did now; they were as hard and as cold as tempered steel. She was indeed beautiful, beautiful and dangerous. He blinked again, and there was his Little Gem again, love written in her still innocent eyes, the same eyes as his, "I love you too, Little Gem."

She threw her arms around her father's neck and whispered in his ear, "I know, Daddy, and I'm sorry if I disappoint you sometimes." She felt her father's arms wrap tightly around her.

"You could never disappoint me," he murmured softly, "Never."

She pulled away to look at him, "No matter what?"

He tweaked her freckled nose, "No matter what. We are all so proud of you already. It doesn't matter what you do, I'll always be proud of you."

"What if I turn to the dark side?" The child shuddered visibly at the thought, "Would you still be proud of me then?"

Luke smiled broadly, "I know that you would come back. And I will always love you, always."

She snuggled deeper against her father's chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart, "I would always find you, Daddy. Even if you were like your dad, I'd find you. And I'd still love you."

The statement brought tears to the master's eyes, "I know, I know you would." She was so much like him in that respect. No matter what dreadful things happened to her, that brave, pure little heart would keep on loving, keep on hoping. Just as he had thirteen and a half years ago.


End file.
